Coronavirus raises interest in online learning at Manistee virtual school

KEN GRABOWSKI, Associate Editor

Published
6:14 pm EDT, Friday, May 1, 2020

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy that is located in Manistee is seeing a rise in applications for their online school with many coming from the Detroit and Wayne County where the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the hardest in the state. (Courtesy photo)

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy that is located in Manistee is seeing a rise in applications for their online school with many coming from the Detroit and Wayne County where the COVID-19 pandemic has hit

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy that is located in Manistee is seeing a rise in applications for their online school with many coming from the Detroit and Wayne County where the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the hardest in the state. (Courtesy photo)

Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy that is located in Manistee is seeing a rise in applications for their online school with many coming from the Detroit and Wayne County where the COVID-19 pandemic has hit

Coronavirus raises interest in online learning at Manistee virtual school

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MANISTEE — When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the state hard, Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy (MGLVA) head of school Kendall Schroeder said he expected to see an impact in people inquiring about enrolling their children in his school as a result.

MGLVA is an online charter school chartered by Manistee Area Public Schools and located in the former Madison Elementary School. The school has more than 3,100 students from all parts of Michigan, including a large portion of their enrollment from the downstate area that has been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most traditional brick and mortar school districts were forced to go to distance learning programs after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer closed all schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. It is unknown at this time if that closure will carry over to fall. Schroeder said because of that uncertainty, MGLVA is seeing a rise in inquiries about enrolling students.

"They are primarily coming from the Detroit area and Wayne County," said Schroeder. "I looked at it the other day, and about one-third of the applications were coming from Wayne County and about 10 percent from Macomb County, but the majority of them are from downstate."

Schroeder said more than anything, many are looking at MGLVA because their children's school was shut down and parents want their children to keep learning.

"We think some parents may feel this is a better option, but we don't know that for sure," he said. "My kids are in brick and mortar school, and I really commend their school as they are really doing a good job in these times with the work they are doing."

Schroeder said the students they have enrolled MGLVA leaves them close to being at capacity for the teaching staff they currently employ.

"We do have some openings in some grade levels, but with 3,100 students it is something we have to decide is if we want to increase that number because some may feel their schools might not be back in session in the fall," said Schroeder.

However, it is a fine line for MGLVA administrators and board of education members if they want to increase their enrollment. Increasing enrollment would probably mean the need for more teaching staff, and that brings two other concerns.

"The challenge in this is if they are going to stick with us for the whole year," said Schroeder. "Another is from what we have been hearing, they are projecting we will at least get 10 percent decrease in our state funding than we are getting right now with the potential for more that could get cut. But every school is in the same situation with funding."

Schroeder said with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, some parents might be looking at a temporary solution instead of a long term one. He fears that if they increase staff and then the pandemic clears up, some students may return to their former schools leaving them with a larger staff than needed and lower state funding.

He said he is optimistic they can take steps to help the new students remain in MGLVA.

"I feel if we can build and establish relationships with those families, then they can see the value of this type of learning," said Schroeder. "Those are the type of questions we are looking to our board to determine whether we need to create some more space for more students coming in."

Schroeder said regardless of what transpires, the MGLVA is good shape. He added that while others in education have experienced dramatic changes in the past month, it is business as usual for them.

"We feel good about what we have in place right now," he said. "Our students are really continuing to learn and for the most part we have heard some really good things from the families. They are happy we are here because for our students we are probably the only normal thing that is happening in their life right now because everything else has been turned upside down. Things will remain the same for us when we return in the fall, and we just may have to create more space for people who want to enroll here."

He said he has reached out to a lot of brick and mortal schools not only in Michigan, but elsewhere to offer them resources if they are struggling and trying to put together a good (online) learning plan.

"I really commend them for that effort for what they have done, and I have provide that information free of charge," Schroeder said. "We are all here to help kids and if we can help other schools do that, we are willing to do it."